.Hack//Ancestry – how to play 'the world'

The long awaited sequel to chapter 2

Chapter 3 – how to play 'the world'

Credit goes to m00tzman for beta reading the junk I send him.

Disclaimer, cause I don't know if I've put it in any other chapters: -AHEM- .hack//roots it characters and plot ideas are not mine. The characters of rurouni kenshin are also not mine. Seraph and other keel members are mine. Although I can't say that you never have heard of anyone because half the characters I'm going to make will have some real world basis. Ex chapter 2, chuck is supposed to be a reference to chuck Jones, the animator of bugs bunny. Barbera is the Barbera of Hannah Barbera. They made Scooby doo, if you didn't know. Well yeah, expect jokes like that, if a name sounds familiar copy and paste it into a Google search bar. It's some guy from somewhere who did something odds are.

One more thing, all conversations that take place are in 'Japanese' (yeah Japanese) any conversation in bold is in English.

Italics thought

-Begin-

Kenshin looked at the guild key. It had the image of a ship leaning hard to port and a stabilizing fin underneath sticking out. Keel, the portion of a sailboat that keeps it stable. Although the guildmaster had recognized something called the center of effort as really as important if not more so, to a sailboats performance. And as a joke some guild members changed their names to 'center of effort'. Either one player did it or a group of players used it. It was a terrible joke. But it was apparently funny, very, very funny to those long in the guild. Kenshin didn't get it.

None the less after his party's adventure in how to level up fast two days ago he had gotten an invitation to the guild Keel. As well as an increase of levels. From level 2 to 9 in one dungeon. But yesterday. Yesterday he met someone very interesting. His name was Ovan.

-The day before, in Mac Anu-

Kenshin was in Mac anu looking around for interesting people to put in his party. Then a man with a strange left arm and orange glasses arrived. "Greetings. My name is Ovan."

"Yeah hi." Kenshin said with no more than a glance. Then he saw the man's arm. "What's with your arm? I mean that's not a normal character design. Isn't it?"

"Ah. Well now aren't you an inquisitive one. You know I am interested in you."

"Really now." Kenshin said, more than a hint of distaste at where this conversation could go. Especially in real world terms.

"Yes. You are a special player. With stats far above normal. You may only have average player ability, but you get far better every day."

Kenshin blinked in shock, "How'd you know that!?!"

Ovan stepped aside to reveal benitora.

"Benitora, you know this guy!?!"

"Yeah that's about it." He said with an extremely loud yawn. "He wanted to know stuff about my first party with you and I told him."

"What you do that for!?!"

"Well I didn't give away anything that you would have to hack or research to find –yawn- out."

"Still…" Kenshin trailed as benitora yawned again. "You should get some sleep."

"So sue me, I came on at 3. AM to meet you. Now I'm going to sleep. Cause you're just mean." Benitora put his hand to his mouth in a yawn and then paused in the middle of it as he logged out.

"As you see I am well connected. Do you know who that man is?" Said Ovan with a small gesture to the now empty space that benitora had occupied.

"Well another player I would assume."

"Well he can be, he was right there admittedly. But in real life he works for CC corp. As a low level admin. Essentially it works out that his job is to play the world. So one key reason that guy is in Japan when he lives, and at least used to work, in America is because of his assignment."

"Assignment?" Kenshin said with an odd look at the player with the odd left arm.

"He claims that irregularities have been detected within the world. Similar to those from seven years ago. Now I can't tell you what those irregularities are, but he's confined to me that they may have something to do with what my guild, the twilight brigade is looking for."

"And that would be what?"

"An item which would turn the world end over end, an item with unlimited potential powers. An item called the Key to the twilight." Ovan said, a grin appearing on his face for some unknown reason.

"The key to the twilight. An item that grants the holder anything." Kenshin turned to look at the town around him.

"Perhaps. Perhaps it is just an especially rare item. Maybe it doesn't exist."

"WHAT! You look for an item you acknowledge may not exist!?!" Kenshin said very loudly with a turn to face Ovan once more.

"If it exists or not is not important. What matters is that while looking for it we treat the search for it as if it were real."

"Yeah well, if it's not real then what's the point!" Kenshin shouted as he turned away from Ovan once more arms crossed.

"If you have that attitude then you should just stop playing the world." Ovan said with a strange tone in his voice.

"What?" Kenshin phrased turning his head partway around.

"'the world' as in the game world, does not exist. Hence why should you participate in it. After all it's just a game. But since it's 'just a game' you play it to do things that cannot normally happen. Like looking for the key to the twilight. That, my friend, is the logic of the twilight brigade."

"So why do you show this odd interest in me?"

"Because. You are special. Your character is distinctly unique. And I feel that uniqueness will serve the brigade, and perhaps the whole of the world, very well in the future."

"Special?" Kenshin asked. "The whole world?" Kenshin asked no-one in particular his eyes widening and his volume increasing as he said it.

"Yes. And I feel your affecting the whole world will be related to finding the key to the twilight." Ovan said a knowing, almost evil grin appearing on his face. Kenshin was looking at his hands.

"The whole world. I could change the whole world." Kenshin seemed semi-shocked and in awe. "I really don't know…" Kenshin seemed genuine in speaking he really didn't know what he wanted to do, whether he wanted to wield this power or not.

"Well I doubt you will be forced into changing the world. But if you join the twilight brigade you'll have plenty of time to find out whether or not you wish to do everything that you can to see if you can change the world or not."

"I'll think about it."

"That's good enough for me." Ovan said. "Now if you will excuse me I have matters to attend to. Oh and here, the guild key, if you ever want to come by, even just to visit." Ovan handed kenshin a small card pass with the image of a grunty that made him think very much of Ovan on it. "Think it over. Take your time, I have no doubt that whatever decision you make it will be the right one."

Kenshin nodded and stored his item in his key items bag. "Don't worry I'll take your guild into thought."

-Present, minus a few minutes give or take-

At the time he had just said that, but then he saw something that made him change his mind. One day out soloing in a field a few levels too low for him he sliced up a few PK's and prepared to accept the thanks of the PK victims when they attacked him. Unable to deal with fighting six players close to his level on his own he did his best and even got one down. When he finally was at almost nothing suddenly one of the remaining PK's was hit by a large shot. It was definitely one from a steam gunner, a powerful steam gunner. With a quick skill trigger to finish off the other PK kenshin looked towards the spot where the shot had came from. He just saw a man with blue hair and an odd left arm leave.

"Ovan." He murmured. Then kenshin ran off to try and catch the guy. When he reached the chaos gate he found Ovan was long gone. Kenshin looked back at the field, unsure whether to abandon his progress or not. Then he decided to go, having gained a level in the field already.

Kenshin warped into Mac anu, and looked around. He was unable to find Ovan. Then he sat down and looked at the two guild keys he had. The keel key and the key for the twilight brigade. Like at the beginning of the chapter (there goes the fourth wall). He sat and stared at the pair for some time. "Keel is a large guild. Or supposedly will be at some point." Although that seraph character had been seen flying, actually flying with wings, around town doing stuff. Not all was guild related he would talk to N00bs and give them guidance, randomly discuss daily happening in the game with people and whatnot. Once he had walked past kenshin talking with some guy from the guild TaN. Kenshin had overhead the term, 'free trade' being used in that conversation during the time he joined the small group of watchers following the pair of seraph and Tawalaya. Finally with a flap of six wings that had suddenly appeared on his back he knocked the whole, then massive, following on it's back. And with a shout of 'back off' everyone did so. Save for one fool who was knocked into the canals of Mac anu.

"Still no matter what I'll just end up as another guy in the guild." Then he looked at the twilight brigade key. "The twilight brigade. A small personal guild. But with big enemies. TaN really makes this decision tough." He looked at the two. Then he remembered all he had heard about the two guilds. Keel had formed international enemies of guilds like kestrel, and, in some cases, guilds like moon tree around the world. In the case of kestrel-a-likes it was open warfare with raids on the guilds home occurring on the rare occasion. But still the kestrel like guilds never stood a chance. Seraph had been known to show up at every single guild raid and once had single-handedly stopped an invasion of over 100 players. With only one low level player in the area. A player like kenshin, very much like kenshin, same name similar character model, the whole deal. However that meant little, it was mostly about the guild raid that he had come, he was the guildmaster of an international guild and would thus spend little time on the sever even.

The twilight brigade. The guildmaster was the mysterious rich eccentric Ovan. Well no-one knew if he was rich, but he was eccentric and eccentric people are usually rich. This meant, at least, he was rich in the game. But still it was a small guild; kenshin was pretty sure there were no more than six members at the moment. And there was TaN to consider. Yeah, that made the decision much tougher.

"Now if only I could find not-a-set and pumpkin." Kenshin muttered to himself. "Maybe they could tell me what the guild is like. I wonder what area's they frequent…" Kenshin said going to the chaos gate.

Using the random area command kenshin flipped through area's for the delta server until he came to one at level nine. For a few moment he considered the fact that he would be alone in his venture until a familiar voice greeted him, "Oh, hey there kenshin, you're on early. Oh wait, thirteen hours I guess it's late for you." Kenshin turned around to see his old friend benitora standing behind him at the chaos gate. "I see you're planning on going somewhere, if it's somewhere with monsters why don't you take me?" A grin appeared on the player from a few time zones over face. "Its 7 a.m. me so I got a few hours before I have to do anything."

Kenshin looked at the fellow for a few minutes. He seemed to be evaluating whether or not he was worthy to come along. After a time he made his decision. "Fine come along you stupid American."

"STUPID AMERICAN!?!" Benitora began when the warping sequence interrupted him.

-Delta Confused troubled thinker-

Upon arriving in the field any hints impression or assumptions that the man had been ready to strangle the red haired blade brandier before him were non-existent. The player was looking at the sky. "Beautiful day isn't it." Benitora said with a chuckle. "Well outside it's rainy and cold. Damn November. Weather report says it might snow next week, that'll make the morning commute one hellish trip."

Kenshin motioned forwards and the pair walked on into the field. "Well you caught me in a talkative mood. One thing you'll learn about me is that when I want to talk you can say anything and I will provide my honest to goodness best answer. So anything on your mind lately."

"Monsters!" Kenshin said pulling out his sword and sneak attacking them.

Benitora didn't pay the comment any mind, calmly walking around whacking the two annoying monsters that followed him with his lance from time to time. By the time that Benitora got over there the monster kenshin had sneak attacked was long dead. And one of the monsters behind him was dead by kenshins hands too. With a sigh benitora impaled the remaining monster on his lance. It disappeared and the battle barrier did too.

"Really, I'll talk with you about anything." Benitora said while leaning on his lance. "God I just want to do something to keep my mind busy."

"I have a question about your character."

"Yeah?"

"What class is it, I've noticed that you physical attack stat's seem to be low for a lord partizan."

"Really now, and I've been trying to improve that stat actually."

"Answer the question." Kenshin growled at Benitora.

"Well fact is I'm an adept rogue."

"A what?" Kenshin said eyeing benitora suspiciously.

"Did you read the manual?" Benitora retorted while kenshin backed off murmured something that benitora took to be along the lines of 'no' and rubbed the back of his head. "Ah yes we have a real genius here. Well mister super brain let us explain an adept rogue. The world R:2 has 10 classes, not counting adept rogues. Adept rogues are able to use up to three of these classes. However they do not gain the general stat bonuses associated with the classes and they also improve their weapon level at a much slower rate."

"So if they suck that much why do people ever play as them?" Kenshin asked.

"YOU BE QUIET!" Benitora shouted. Then the gathered himself for a moment and calmed down. "People play as adept rogues because adept rogues have access to multiple classes. Imagine this, being a harvest cleric."

"I can't."

"Tomoe is one."

"Oh. I got it now."

"Now the key weakness of harvest clerics is their total and complete inability to attack. If you were an adept rogue who had unlocked their second class, the first being harvest cleric, the second being, oh let's say edge punisher, you are cornered by a Pk in the middle of a battle. You can't do a whole lot with that pathetic little staff you got so right before he bears down on you, you pull a massive broadsword and smash him to kingdom come."

"I see. I suppose there is an advantage to being an adept rogue. So what classes are you?"

"Lord Partizan, twin blade, blade brandier."

"So you gave me that example and you do nothing of the sort yourself."

"So sue me I don't like that healing stuff. At least I did learn repth by way of a scroll."

"Yeah sure." Kenshin and benitora stared off for a few moments then kenshin got up, "Well the monsters won't come to us if we stay here, at best we'll have to fight some Pk's. Let's get moving."

After beating a few other groups of monsters kenshin decided to ask another question. "So benitora. What is your job in the real world?"

"Well you are inquisitive. Fact is I work for CC corp. Actually…" Benitora trailed off with a smirk. "I was one of the programming assistants for this game. My job with CC corp. is to play the game and report all bugs I encounter to them, also I work at home for about a week at a time so my home computer is very advanced."

"How advanced?" Kenshin asked, now very curious.

"God." Benitora said sticking his index finger on his lip. "I can't say exactly how good in terms you'll understand if I go technical… but I actually have enough room to move the entire population of "the world" and move it to my computer.".

"REALLY!" Kenshin said amazed.

"Yeah, between what I've purchased myself, gifts from friends and what CC corp. has given me for my work I could do that. Or at least make a whole new server."

"Wow." And more amazing Ovan was telling the truth about the guy. I don't know how he knows all this stuff but I have a feeling a guy who can store the world on his 'personal' computer would know something about Ovan. "Well that was interesting, shall we get to the beast temple."

Benitora scanned the environment. "Believe the temple is that-a-way!" He said pointing in a direction. "Let us get a move on then."

"What?"

"Oh nothing." Benitora said while sounding innocent.

I may not be the best student but I know when I hear English. I wonder what was he saying… Odds are some stupid English curse or something.

Some time later the pair reached the beast temple. At the altar they kicked the box and got a prize of medium armor. Kenshin received this. In exchange Benitora got the question.

"One last question." Kenshin began.

"Hmm." Benitora responded while looking around.

"How do you know Ovan and what is Ovan like?"

For a moment benitora paused, he paused while looking up at the ceiling. Kenshin was no body language linguist, but he knew that he had hit something good with that question. "The ceiling lighting is interesting isn't it?" Benitora said looking up at the light that was coming down.

"Answer the question."

"Ovan. Ovan has been playing the game for a long time. One day, while assigned to this server earlier, I met him. Let me tell you he's an interesting person to talk to. Very educated and he knows a lot about the world."

"How did you meet him?"

"Well…" Benitora trailed. "I used to post in various forums about bugs within the game. Ovan happened to contact me and asked me to come meet him in a bugged area." For a moment he remembered, a library with lots of books, the girl, those black dots… Not for long, and not with very much interest in anything that happened that day. "Once we conversed I recognized Ovan as being a person with great intelligence, a fellow intellect you could say. Well I exchanged member addresses, and e-mail addresses and since then from time to time the two of us have been in contact at irregular intervals."

"When was the last time you contacted him?"

Benitora looked at kenshin like kenshin had grown three heads. "You remember when Ovan brought a very sleepy me out to meet you? That was the last time we were in contact yesterday. Or today for me rather."

Kenshin blinked and simply responded with an, "Oh."

"So I suppose for three, or rather four questions I get one. What's up with the sudden desire to know about me, Ovan and my relationship to him?" Benitora maneuvered to make himself eye level with kenshin. "And one more; what did Ovan tell you?"

"How!?!" Kenshin let out before he clamped his mouth shut.

"Let's just say I know Ovan pretty well."

"Um yea…" Kenshin looked at his feet for a few moments. "Well he told me that you were a low level admin whose job it is to play the game. He said also that you are investigating the world for irregularities."

"Well duh, that's my job."

"Ovan said they might be related to an item called the key to the twilight."

"Well I do look for the key to the twilight, even if it is mostly for personal reasons. But still the twilight brigade, Ovan's guild, a guild designed just to find the key, will pique the interest of any educated cc. Corp. Employee."

"Educated?" Kenshin murmured. Then Benitora turned around.

"Well let's go, I'm leveled up now so I really don't care about you." To prove his point he walked over to the warp panel and paused for a moment as he picked out whatever option it was that he wanted from the list that appeared for him. Then he warped out.

Kenshin stood by the warp gate staring for a few moments. Then two players came along when they saw him they drew their swords and prepared to do… well they got ready for something but he doubted it was good, so kenshin ran into town and then logged out for the day.

-End-